Spanish plane spots raft bearing dozens of migrants

Thu, 08/10/2017 - 11:59

A Spanish Air Force P-3 Orion plane located an inflatable raft carrying 53 migrants onboard on 8 August. The plane, operated by 11 Wing 22 Group based at Morón de la Frontera Air Base, Seville, spotted the raft off in the western Mediterranean, in waters between Spain and Morocco.

After checking the condition of the vessel and the passengers, the P-3 crew reported their position to the Madrid Rescue Coordination Center and to the Tarifa Civil Rescue Agency. The plane remained in the vicinity of the raft until the arrival of the ship Guardamar, which rescued migrants without difficulty thanks to the calm seas.